One Million Xbox LIVE Members Stream Netflix

Who knew? Netflix -- the company famous for its by-mail DVD rentals -- is surging ahead of competitors, and while the tried and true red envelope approach is certainly to thank, it's the online streaming that has really taken the world by storm. In an effort to instantly gratify those looking for entertainment inside the home, Netflix has activated its Watch Instantly service on a plethora of devices, many of which are already hooked directly to one's television.

One of the most popular Netflix streaming devices is Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was the first standalone device to acquire Netflix HD streaming a few months back. To that end, Microsoft and Netflix have jointly announced that one million Xbox LIVE Gold members have "downloaded and activated the groundbreaking Xbox LIVE application from Netflix since the alliance launched last November." During that small window of time, the Xbox LIVE community has viewed instantly some 1.5 billion (Billion, with a B) minutes of movies and TV episodes.

Today, the Xbox 360 remains the only standalone gaming console that provides native access to Netflix's somewhat disappointing (but still blossoming) online library of content. Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited members can watch movies and TV episodes streamed instantly from Netflix on Xbox LIVE for no additional fee. One has to wonder if all this streaming success won't lead to yet another fee from Netflix, possibly one similar to the $1 per month surcharge tacked on for the rental of Blu-ray Discs. Have you exercised your right to stream from Netflix via the Xbox 360? Would you be willing to pay a bit more in order to continue doing so?